Steam iron closure



June 1, 1954 J. o. THIBAULT STEAM IRON CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 25, 1951 3nventor Jose 072 O. lfizbaaZt June 1, 1954 O THlBAULT 2,679,704

STEAM IRON CLOSURE Filed Aug. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a b, llllllllll lfl-il Jnventor attorneys Patented June 1, 1954 STEAM IRON CLOSURE Joseph 0. Thibault, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Casco Products Corporation, Bridgeport,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 25, 1951, Serial No. 243,645

11 Claims. (Cl. 3877) This invention relates to domestic electric steam irons, and more particularly to closure and sealing means in steam irons of the type provided with a water-container or boiler having a filler opening which is closed by a stopper secured to the underside of a hinged handle structure, the said handle structure being movable between a downswung operative or ironing position and an upswung inoperative or filling position.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a steam iron of the type having separate boiler and casing parts; however, it should be understood that in its broader aspects the invention is not limited to such irons but instead has utility in other steam irons wherein the boiler or water container also functions as the casing of the iron.

Heretofore, in steam irons of the above type the boiler opening was made in the form of a relatively large rigid or non-yielding valve seat, that is, it had a recessed conical funnel portion to receive a rubber-like plug or stopper carried by the handle structure, said plug being resiliently mounted to enable it to yield in response to excessive steam pressure whereby a safety valve action was obtained. The rubber-like plug ele- Such arrangement while generally satisfactory in operation, involved quite a few separate parts and a number of assembly operations which added substantially to the cost of tooling the iron, and to the production cost. Moreover, there existed at times the possibility of the safetyvalve action being impaired due to improper alignment of the seat and stopper, which were remotely connected, or due to wedging or sticking of the stopper in the conical seat. The effectiveness of the seal was also at times questionable as a consequence of manufacturing tolerances because much of the yield of the organization, when the parts were brought together, was supplied not by the rubber-like stopper which contacted the valve seat, but by the resilient mounting which positioned the stopper and which was not sufiiciently flexible in adapting itself to different seat locations.

The above drawbacks have been obviated by the present invention, which provides an improved and simplified filler opening and stopper organization characterized by few and inexpensive parts and assemblies, and increased reliafbility in operation. In accomplishing this, I provide a stopper or plug which is wholly rigid and non-yielding, and provide a rubber-like yieldable valve seat for the stopper which may yield considerably in all different directions to readily conform to the walls of the plug regardless of misalignment of the latter due to manufacturing tolerances and the like, said plug and seat not incorporating a safety valve action. The plug may thus be a simple dished or cone-shaped sheet metal disk or other simple rigid member, and the seat may be simply a rubber-like annulus mounted around the filler opening of the boiler and having an inner portion of tapered or thinned cross section, for engagement with the plug.

1' have found that the inner thinned portion of such an annulus has the ability to yield greatly and to readily conform to the walls of the plug even though the latter is slightly misaligned by tolerances in the parts, so as to provide an effective seal at all times.

Where the iron comprises a boiler and a casingseparate from the boiler, both having aligned water-passage openings, the sealing annulus may be conveniently secured in place by clamping it between the boiler and casing, where it additionally functions to seal off the space between the said parts.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. i

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of an electric steam iron embodying the improved closure and sealing means of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the closure and sealing means, in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2, but with the closure partly raised from its seat.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sealing annulus.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, the electric steam iron shown therein comprises a sole plate l0 having an electric heating element H and steam discharge ports [2, the latter communicating with a steam chamber 13. Above the sole plate I0 is a casing l4 enclosing a boiler 15, the latter being secured to the sole plate by a shouldered steam pipe I 6 threaded into a cover plate I! which latter is secured to the sole plate III by screws as shown.

The casing 14 at its rear is fastened to the sole plate [0 by a screw l8 and at its front is secured to the upper portion of the boiler l5 by a steam from a lowered, operative, latched position as shown in Fig. I, to a raised inoperative or filling position, being normally held in operative position by a latch 21 carried by a cover or shield plate portion 28 forming the base of thehandlestructure.

More specific details of the iron asabove de-- scribed may be obtained byreferring to-my co=- pending application Serial No. 162,177 filed 16, 1950, entitled Electric Steam-Irony. andalso: to the copending application of Joseph H. Cone, Serial No. 222,381 filed April 23, 1951, entitled Electric Steam Iron.

As in the copendingr applications: above referred to, the boiler' [25 is. provided in. its: uppenportion with a filler opening. 29. having. a d'e;-- pending funnel 30 and a deflector plate 3|,and; the casing 14 has an opening: aligned with the boiler opening 29'.

In accordance with the present invention. novel. and improved means are provided for sealingv or: stopping the filler opening 29' when the handles structure 23 isin its: lowered or operative position, said meansalso'providing a seal at the filler opening between the adjacent edge portions. of the boiler I5 and casing l4;

Referring to Figs. 1-3, this improved stopper and sealing means comprises, in thespecific embodiment of the inventionherein illustrated, a dished sheet-metal plug 32 having a disk-like apertured center portion 33 secured by means:

of a screw 34 to an integral depending boss: 35 on the cover or shield plate 2B of'the handlestructure. The plug 32 is provided with tapered or frustro-conical walls 36 and for engagement'with said walls a resilient sealing annulus 3T is provided, secured to the boiler I5 at the filler'opening 29.

As shown in Fig. 5', theannulus 31-" has a generally fiat washer-like body or flange portion 33 which is interposed between adjacent edge portions 39 and 40 respectively of the casing 14 andboiler l5. Extending inwardly from the flange portion 38 of the annulus is a ring-like portion 41 having a tapered cross'section as shown whereby it has a thinned periphery 42, the portion 38' providing a conical seat it for mating engagement with the conical walls 36 of the plug- 32. The annulus 31 is preferably made of rubber or rubber-like material, as for example one of the silicones', whereby the inner peripheral portion 42 may yield considerably when engaged by the stopper 32' and conform itself to the walls 36 of the stopper; as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 3, the funnel 30 may be secured to the boiler [5 by means of an outturned flange 44, and the underside of the flange portion 38 of the annulus 3? may'have an annular groove 45 to accommodate the flange 44.

When the annulus 3! is interposed between the adjacent portions of the boiler and casing at the filler opening 29, and the casing secured to the sole plate and boiler by the fastening screw l 8 and threaded steam dome 19, the annulus will be securely clamped in position and will provide an effectiveseal; preventing water from entering' the spaces normally existing between. the boiler and the casing: around the filler:- opening.

I have found that, by the provision of a yieldable valve seat of resilient rubber-like material as above set forth, the seat can yield to a considerable extent as shown in Fig. 2, and will completely accommodate itself to the shape of the stopper or plug 32 regardless of slight variations in the position of the latter caused by manufacturing tolerances in the various components.

The parts of the stopperand seat are seen to be extremely simple and economical to fabricate, and the assemblies are few and greatly simplifiedover structures heretofore employed for this purpose. Replacement of the stopper 321sordinarily not'necessary, and if the replacement of the annulus 31 should be required after a periodof'use, thismay be readily accomplished upnm removal. of the casing by unscrewing the steam. dome l9 and fastening screw [8.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be. used without others;

I' claim:

1. In a steam: iron, a container for water which. is to be-converted into steam, said container hawing awater-passage opening. inan upper portion; a' casing outside of said container, having an opening adjacentandi aligned with the container opening; a removable stopper for'said water-passage opening; means interposed between the. watercontainer and easing at the aligned openings thereof to provide; a seal therebetween. around the edges of the openings, said means; having a pOI'tiOn engageable with and providing'a sealing seat for-said stopper;v andzreleasable means forhol'ding the-stopper in sealing engage.- ment with said seat;

2. In a steam iron; a container for water'which is to-be converted into steam, said containerhavinga water-passage opening in an upper portion; a casing outside of said container, having an' opening adjacent and aligned with the con tainer opening; a removable stopper for said water-passage opening; means mounting the stopper on the casing for movement between positions respectively adjacent and remote from saidaligned openings; means interposed between the water container and casing at the aligned openings thereof toprovide a seal therebetween around the edges of the openings, said' means having a portion engageable with and providing a sealing seat for said stopperwhen the latter is in position adjacent said openings; and re leasablemeans for holding the stopper in seal ing engagement with said seat.

3'. In a steam iron, a container for water which is to be converted intosteam, said container having a water-passage opening in an upper portion; a casing outside of said container, having an opening adjacent and aligned with the container opening; aremovable stopper for said water-passage opening: an annulus interposed between the water container and easing at the aligned openings thereof to-provi'de a seal therebetween around the edges of the openings, said annulus having an inner ring-like portion engageable with and providing a sealing seat for said stopper; and releasable means for holding the stopper in sealing engagement with said seat.

4. In a steam iron, a container for water which istto beconverted intosteam, saidcontainer having awater-passage opening: in anupper portion; a. casingv outside. of said container, having an opening; adjacent and aligned with thecontainer opening; a removable stopper for said. waterpassageopening; an annulus oi y-ieldable, rubber-like material interposed between the water container and casing at the aligned openings thereof to provide a seal therebetween around the edges of the openings, said annulus having an inner ring-like portion engageable with and providing a sealing seat for said stopper, said ring-like portion having a tapered cross section and being provided with a thin inner periphery which is readily yieldable and stretchable under pressure from the stopper; and releasable means for holding the stopper in sealing engagement with said seat.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the water container has a filler funnel extending into it at the water opening, said funnel having an outturned edge overlying the edge of the opening, and in which the sealing means comprises a washer having an annular groove in its undersurface to accommodate said outturned edge of the funnel.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4, in which the stopper comprises a tapered plug which is receivable within the ring-like portion of the annulus.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the container and casing are of sheet metal, in which the aligned openings of the container and easing are located substantially midway between their front and rear extremities, and in which there are means fastening the container and easing together adjacent said extremities, said fastening means being spaced a substantial distance from said openings to more equally distribute the pressure of the container and casing on the sealing means.

8. In a steam iron, a container for water which is to be converted into steam, said container having a water-passage opening in an upper portion; a casing outside of said container, having an opening adjacent and aligned with the container opening; a removable stopper for said water-passage opening; means including a hinged handle structure for the iron, mounting the stopper on the casing for movement between positions respectively adjacent and remote from said aligned openings; means interposed between the water container and casing at the aligned openings thereof to provide a seal therebetween around the edges of the openings, said means having a portion engageable with and providing a sealing seat for said stopper when the latter is in position adjacent said openings; and releasable means for holding the hinged handle structure in position wherein the stopper is adjacent said aligned openings and engaging said seat.

9. In a steam iron, a container for water which is to be converted into steam, said container having a water-passage opening in an upper portion; a unitary handle structure having a cover plate overlying said water-passage opening; means hingedly mounting the handle structure on said container for movement between operating and non-operating positions respectively adjacent and remote from the container; a removable stopper for said water-passage opening, carried on the underside of said cover plate to stop the water-passage opening when the handle structure is in operating position; annular sealing means overlying edge portions of the water container around the opening thereof, having an inwardly extending ring-like portion engageable with and providing a sealing seat for said stopper; means rigid with and overlying a portion of the container and normally covered by said cover plate when the handle structure is in operating position, clamping said sealing means to the water container; and releasable means for holding the hinged handle structure in operating position.

10. In a steam iron, a boiler having a waterpassage aperture in an upper portion; a rigid stopper for said water-passage aperture; means hingedly mounting the stopper on the boiler for movement between aperture closing and opening positions; means providing a resilient seat for said stopper on said aperture, including an annulus disposed over the edges of the aperture and having yieldable portions extending inwardly beyond said edges, said portions yielding in response to pressure exerted by the stopper and conforming to the walls of the stopper regardless of dimensional variations due in the stopper, boiler, and mounting means due to manufacturing tolerances; and releasable means for holding the stopper in aperture-closing position.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10, in which the stopper is frustro-conical, with tapered walls whereby it passes partially through the annulus and spreads apart the yieldable portions thereof.

References Cited in the file of thi patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,316,723 Kammer Sept. 23, 1919 2,475,572 Schreyer July 5, 1949 

